How To Become a Commercial Pilot

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Online course - Wingman Academy

Do you dream of becoming a pilot but don't know where to start, or what it takes? We've got your 6 O'clock covered!

Dreaming of Becoming a Commercial Pilot?

Embarking upon this journey is a significant commitment, both personally and financially. And the choices you make can have a direct impact on your future career success. Getting it right is crucial if you want to be successful and avoid a journey that becomes personally challenging or financially crippling. Or one that damages your future career prospects. As many aspiring pilots have tragically discovered, getting their journey wrong, not doing their research, or being swayed by glossy marketing can be crippling, both personally and financially. We’ve created this course to help ensure that you make informed, educated decisions before embarking on your journey.  So, if you’re ready for your pilot career to take off, enrol today!

Inside You'll Find:

  • Perfect for any aspiring future pilot or their sponsors
  • Delivery from a current airline pilot, recruiter and former military fast-jet pilot
  • 11 modules and 53 video lessons covering all aspects of Becoming a Commercial Pilot
  • Downloadable learning material
  • Interactive quizzes to check your understanding
  • Purchase as a gift for an aspiring pilot you know!

What You Get

Why Enrol On This Course?

Embarking upon this journey is a significant commitment, both personally and financially. And the choices you make can have a direct impact on your future career success. Getting it right is crucial if you want to be successful and avoid a journey that becomes personally challenging or financially crippling. Or one that damages your future career prospects. That’s why it’s important to get honest, ethical and unbiased support from experienced pilots and recruiters.

Consider this course an investment. If you take the time to absorb the training here, you’ll be setting yourself up for an enjoyable flight training journey and future career. As many aspiring pilots have tragically discovered, getting their journey wrong, not doing their research, or being swayed by glossy marketing can be crippling, both personally and financially.

We’ve created this course to help ensure that you make informed, educated decisions before embarking on your journey. We’re going to equip you with the must ask questions and the essential knowledge you’ll need to be successful with both your flight training AND your future career.

How You’ll Access Your Training

Your course can be accessed through your laptop, desktop or via a mobile app which you can download here. Simply choose your access period and start your learning immediately from the comfort of your own home, or on the move.

Your trainer, Wingman Andrew, will lead you step by step through one of the most comprehensive online courses available to help you become a commercial pilot. Every lesson is taught personally by Andrew – a real airline pilot, not AI-generated or pieced together from generic content – so you’re learning from someone who’s actually lived the journey you’re about to begin.Your course is structured into modules, with each module containing detailed video lessons, quizzes to check your understanding and high-quality downloads to support your training.

And the best bit? You can watch and re-take again and again until your access period expires.

Module 1: Before You Start

You’re about to start your journey toward becoming a professional pilot. In this module, you’ll meet your instructor, learn how the course works, and get set up for success. (2 lessons/6 mins)

Module 2: Introduction to Becoming a Commercial Pilot

Welcome to your pilot journey. Ready to explore costs, careers, and what real professional flying is like? This module gives you the full picture – so you can plan your path with eyes wide open. (5 lessons/30 mins)

Module 3: Training Pathways to Become a Pilot

Ready to explore motivation, training routes, and how flight schools work? This module gives you the roadmap to plan your path from zero experience to the flight deck! (12 lessons/52 mins)

Module 4: Additional Requirements to Become a Pilot

From health checks and English skills to age limits and rules, this module covers other essential qualifications you need to know to start your journey toward becoming a commercial pilot. (5 lessons/13 mins)

Module 5: How to Choose the Right Flight School

Your flight school and instructors shape your training and career. This module shows you how to make smart choices, avoid costly mistakes, and set yourself up for success. (5 lessons/30 mins)

Module 6: Cost of Pilot Training and Funding Options

Flight training can be pricey – but this module shows you how to budget smart, find funding, and uncover cost-saving strategies to make your pilot dream more achievable. (3 lessons/13 mins)

Module 7: Being Successful With Flight Training

Ready to level up your flight training? This module shows you how to think, learn, connect, and fly like a pro – so every hour in the air moves you closer to your dream pilot career. (5 lessons/17 mins)

Module 8: Developing Competence for a Pilot Career

You’re about to discover what truly defines a great pilot. This module breaks down core competencies, how to build them, and how they shape your success – from the ground up. (7 lessons/34 mins)

Module 9: Social Media and Your Career

Social media can launch your pilot career – or hold it back. In this module, you’ll learn how to build a professional online presence that attracts recruiters and avoids common pitfalls. (2 lessons/6 mins)

Module 10: Career Prospects and Industry Realities

You’re dreaming of life in the skies – but what’s it really like? This module reveals the realities of a pilot career: the lifestyle, pay, challenges, rewards, and how to plan for every stage ahead. (7 lessons/36 mins)

Module 11: Summary and Next Steps

You’ve come a long way! This module wraps up your journey, highlighting key takeaways on training, pilot careers, skills, costs, and the realities of life in aviation. (1 lesson/5 mins)

PDF downloads to support and reinforce your learning within the lessons.

We want to make sure you have the opportunity to check your knowledge. These aren’t mandated, but help to reinforce your knowledge.

Our Success Stories

14 Days Access

£ 39
99
one-off
  • 4+ hours of comprehensive online learning
  • More than 50 videos, downloadable content and quizzes
  • Perfect for any aspiring future pilot or their sponsors
  • Honest, ethical and unbiased guidance to make informed decisions that are crucial to success
enrol now

28 Days Access

£ 49
99
one-off
  • 4+ hours of comprehensive online learning
  • More than 50 videos, downloadable content and quizzes
  • Perfect for any aspiring future pilot or their sponsors
  • Honest, ethical and unbiased guidance to make informed decisions that are crucial to success
enrol now
Popular

60 Days Access

£ 79
99
one-off
  • 4+ hours of comprehensive online learning
  • More than 50 videos, downloadable content and quizzes
  • Perfect for any aspiring future pilot or their sponsors
  • Honest, ethical and unbiased guidance to make informed decisions that are crucial to success
enrol now

Frequently Asked Questions

We get asked a lot of questions about our How to Become an Airline Pilot Course as we strive to help pilots pass this crucial stage of their pilot assessment journey and join their airline of choice.

Fees differ depending on the school and route you take, but pilot training typically costs somewhere in the region of £70,000 to £130,000. For example, an integrated course at some flying schools can cost over £120,000. Modular courses often cost notably less and allow you to spread the payments over a longer period.

There’s no strict set of A levels required to become a pilot, and there’s no single “right” path in. That said, subjects like Mathematics and Physics give you a strong foundation for the technical side of training, and airlines and flight schools often look favourably on them. Good grades in English are useful too, since clear communication is a core part of the job. If you have the choice, those subjects will stand you in good stead – but don’t be put off if your background is different, as pilots come from all sorts of academic routes.

Pilot pay varies widely depending on the airline, aircraft type, and your seniority, and figures move over time – so treat the following as an indicative guide rather than fixed salaries. Newly qualified first officers typically start somewhere between £30,000 and £55,000, with the exact figure depending heavily on the carrier. As you gain experience, a senior first officer can expect to earn in the region of £85,000 to £100,000. Once you progress to captain, salaries at major operators commonly range from around £100,000 to £180,000+ once allowances and additional flying pay are included. On top of base salary, most pilots also receive allowances, sector pay and pension contributions that can add significantly to the overall package.

Almost – but not quite. There’s no requirement to have a particular background or university degree, and people come into aviation from all walks of life. However, there are a few essential gates you’ll need to pass through. The most important is the UK CAA Class 1 Medical Certificate: before committing to expensive training, you must hold (or be confident you can obtain) a Class 1 medical, which assesses your vision, hearing, cardiovascular health and general fitness against strict aviation standards. It’s the single most important thing to check first, as it can be a barrier for some conditions.

Beyond the medical, becoming a commercial pilot means completing the required flight training, passing a series of theoretical knowledge exams, and demonstrating your aeronautical knowledge and flying skills to an examiner through oral and practical tests. You’ll also need a good standard of English (the industry’s international language) and the right to live and work where you intend to fly. It’s a significant commitment of time and money – but with the right preparation and support, it’s an achievable goal for most people who meet the medical and eligibility requirements.

There are three main paths. An integrated course takes you from zero experience to a commercial licence in one continuous, full-time programme at a single flight school. A modular course lets you complete each stage separately, which can be more affordable and flexible, though it can take longer. Finally, some pilots come through airline cadet schemes or military backgrounds. There’s no single “right” route – the best choice depends on your budget, your timescale, and your circumstances, which is exactly the kind of thing worth thinking through before committing.